CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for sound recording studios in New York, NY-NJ
Sound recording studios in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area: 278 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 3-person team.
- Establishments
- 278CBP 2023
- Employees
- 947mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 1.4U.S. 0.6
- Rank
- 2nd of 88areas by count
How many sound recording studios are in New York, NY-NJ?
County Business Patterns counts 278 sound recording studios (NAICS 512240, Sound Recording Studios) in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area for 2023. Together they reported 947 mid-March employees and $63.3 million of payroll for the year. That ranks 2nd of the 88 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 19.9 million residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 1.4 sound recording studios per 100,000 people, 122.5% above the national rate of 0.6. Establishments average 3.4 employees, 10.1% above the U.S. average of 3.1. Payroll per employee comes to $66,792, 8.4% below the national $72,880.
| Measure | New York, NY-NJ | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 278 | 270 | 2,131 |
| Mid-March employees | 947 | 886 | 6,596 |
| Annual payroll | $63,252,000 | $61,580,000 | $480,717,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.1 |
| Payroll per employee | $66,792 | $69,503 | $72,880 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Establishment size: sound recording studios in New York, NY-NJ
Of the sound recording studios in New York, NY-NJ that had employees in March 2023, 81.6% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 87.2%). 91.3% had fewer than ten. Small teams usually share the phone: the person who answers is often also serving a customer or doing the job, which is when calls get missed.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 226 | 81.6% | 87.2% |
| 5–9 employees | 27 | 9.7% | 7.5% |
| 10–19 employees | 15 | 5.4% | 3.1% |
| 20–49 employees | 9 | 3.2% | 1.8% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.5% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a recording studio in New York, NY-NJ has to catch
Studios book time by the hour, so inquiry calls are effectively booking requests. Engineers in session cannot answer, which makes voicemail capture and callbacks important. That holds for sound recording studios in New York, NY-NJ as much as anywhere.
Calls a recording studio in New York, NY-NJ might handle in a typical week include:
- A producer calls about mixing services.
- The studio calls a client to confirm a booking.
- A podcaster calls about recording rates.
After-hours calls
Musicians often call in the evening, so capturing those calls helps fill the calendar.
Business-hours routing in Callata sends calls to voicemail, a teammate's cell or an AI agent once the day ends, and voicemails arrive transcribed with an urgency flag.
What a phone system costs a recording studio in New York, NY-NJ
The average recording studio in New York, NY-NJ has 3.4 employees, so a 3-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 3 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $90.00 a month and 3 on Ooma Office Pro cost $74.85. Callata is $99.00 a month with 5 users included, which is more than either per-seat plan for 3 people; it becomes the lower price at 4 users or more.
At this team size the per-seat plans cost less than Callata's $99 base price, which already covers 5 users; Callata becomes the lower price from 4 users.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $57.00 | $684.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $69.00 | $828.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $74.85 | $898.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $81.00 | $972.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $90.00 | $1,080.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Local area codes for sound recording studios in New York, NY-NJ
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 8 area codes. 201 has the most, with 761 of 3,908 exchanges (19%). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your artists and clients recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 201 | 761 | Eastern | 1947 | 551 |
| 732 | 742 | Eastern | 1997 | 848 |
| 973 | 643 | Eastern | 1997 | 862 |
| 908 | 536 | Eastern | 1990 | none |
| 631 | 341 | Eastern | 1999 | 934 |
| 862 | 320 | Eastern | 2001 | 973 |
| 551 | 296 | Eastern | 2001 | 201 |
| 848 | 269 | Eastern | 2001 | 732 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for sound recording studios
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in New York, NY-NJ, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many sound recording studios are there in New York, NY-NJ?
Census County Business Patterns counted 278 sound recording studios in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metro area in 2023. They employed 947 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 3-person recording studio?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 3 users cost $90.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $74.85 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $99.00.
What area code should a recording studio in New York, NY-NJ use?
Area code 201 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 732 and 973. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a recording studio?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.